Think well before starting on this book. It is an invitation. It will take you in many directions. Much of it may be new to you. But it will not be new to your heart. Your heart is already familiar with the mysteries we will be exploring. It will recognise the beauty. But your mind needs to escape from the frames and constraints of many past, flawed teachings. So keep your eyes wide open and free as you read. The book is a call to you to stretch your thoughts, emotions and imagination in many ways. There will be ideas about the world and God and yourself that will both trouble and delight your spirit. There will be resistance and confusion. There has to be. There is no other way to widen and deepen your faith-understanding. But it will transform your life. Read the book as you would read a love-letter from God.

Parenting strategies you can be proud of You know the feeling. You got frustrated, desperate, or overwhelmed and you reacted before you could think it through. Whether it’s a one-time thing or it becomes a habit, we all parent in ways we don’t like. But it doesn’t have to continue. Whether it’s bribery, yelling, counting to three, or threats of punishment you didn’t mean to make, reacting never feels good. But if you can learn to act with intentionality, you’ll feel better about your choices and be grateful for the results. Dr. Kathy Koch (pronounced “cook”), author of Screens and Teens and 8 Great Smarts, will teach you proven strategies for training your child’s heart and parenting in a way that honors God. She’ll help you move your child from, “I can’t, I won’t," to “I can, I will, and I did.” We can do better than “Because I said so.” or “No screen time for 3 days.” We can do better than mere behavior modification. We can change our children’s hearts and teach them to do what is good, godly, and right even when we’re not around. Once you’ve learned to put these motivation strategies in place there’s no more need to nag, you’ll be astounded at what your kids will do without being asked. Dr. Kathy doesn’t offer a quick-fix. Starting with the heart is all about changing what children believe in order to change their behavior. And learning to use this kind of motivation takes effort, consistency, and strategy, but it works. And it’s never too late! If you’re willing to commit to a little hard work up front, you’ll enjoy your kids, your life, and yourself much more when you learn to start with the heart.

Start with the heart to build a school climate in which achievement will flourish. In this easy-to-read, inspiring book, educational consultant and former high school principal Michelle Trujillo shows how positive school culture is anchored in social and emotional learning as a way of being. She guides educators to explore their own SEL aptitudes, inspires schoolwide investment in a philosophy of connection, and offers ample tools, strategies, and solutions for integrating five SEL competencies into schools. Jumpstart conscientious connections in your school community and create a foundation for trust that allows students and educators to feel appreciated, effective, and productive.

At a time of many distractions for church leaders, lay teachers and parish catechists are often left to fend for themselves. Working within the treasures of our tradition, this book hopes to offer some nourishment and inspiration both personally and professionally. Begin with the Heart introduces a radical dimension to the work of catechesis and religious education. It calls for a dynamic theology and vital spirituality in all aspects of our educational endeavours. The recovery of the notion of the 'sacramental vision' cannot fail to touch the creative imagination of today's teachers and catechists. It ensures that the Catholic tradition of education will make an even greater contribution to the common good in our profoundly pluralist society. It is only from the teachers' and catechists' own inner passion and conviction that the hearts of others will catch fire and be transformed. It is time now for a new effort to realise the dream, to work the vision more surely.

This introductory course has been designed for women who are brand new to Walking with Purpose as well as those with more experience in Bible study. The themes we'll explore are the timeless, foundational, core questions that people return to century after century. Delving into these topics will help fill holes in our spiritual foundations so that we have something firm to stand on when life gets shaky. A DVD series, Priorities complements the course. Immensely practical and encouraging, Opening Your Heart is the perfect starting point as you seek to grow closer to God.

The best story is one that comes from the heart. The library is having a contest for the best story, and the quirky narrator of this book just has to win that rollercoaster ride with her favorite author! But what makes a story the best? Her brother Tim says the best stories have lots of action. Her father thinks the best stories are the funniest. And Aunt Jane tells her that the best stories have to make people cry. A story that does all these things doesn't seem quite right, though, and the one thing the whole family can agree on is that the best story has to be your own. Anne Wilsdorf's hilarious illustrations perfectly capture this colorful family and their outrageous stories in Eileen Spinelli's heartfelt tale about creativity and finding your own voice.